Newspaper receptacle and bundler



y 1968 w. H. LINDHOLM ETAL 3,382,794

NEWSPAPER RECEPTACLE AND BUNDLER Filed Nov. 14, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [NVENTORS i l l mm/w H Z/A/D/M flan/440 W Z/NDHoLM 14, 1968 w. H. LINDHOLM ETAL 3,382,794

NEWSPAPER RECEPTACLE AND BUNDLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1966 1NVENTOR5 VV/LAMM [Wm/04M 00/1/44 0 WZ/A/w/am ATTORNEYS United States Patent O M 3,382,794 NEWSPAPER RECEPTACLE AND BUNDLER William H. Lindholm, 8514 W. 119th Place, Palos Park, Ill. 60464, and Donald W. Lindholm, 15929 S. Grove, Oak Forest, Ill. 60452 Filed Nov. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 594,206 Claims. (Cl. 100-34) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article of furniture with legs supporting a cabinet providing a chamber sized for stacking newspapers. Access to the chamber is provided by a hinge-d top lid which is raised for depositing newspapers into the chamber and by a hinged front wall which is lowered to remove the stack of newspapers from the chamber. Wire, twine or other tie material supplied from a spool on the bottom of the cabinet is laced through releasable guides in the cabinet to surround the newspapers. When a stack of newspapers fills the chamber the tie material is severed, tightened around the stack, and the ends secured together to bundle the stack.

Description of the disclosure This invention relates to a device for storing and bundling newspapers or the like and suitable for use as an article of furniture such as an end table.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention a rectangular six-sided box or cabinet of suitable appearance for use as an article of furniture in a house or office and with attached or integrally mounted legs is used as a container to receive, store and bundle old newspapers or the like. The top side of the box is secured by hinges along one edge, preferably the back edge, and can be lifted by a handle attached to the outside face of the top side near the edge opposite the hinged edge. The top side may be recessed below the edges of the side walls in order to provide a suitable tray-like surface on which the current paper may be placed.

One side of the box, preferably the front side, is hinged along its bottom edge and is secured in a closed position by press-release latches attached near the top and along the front edge of the inside faces of the adjacent side walls of the box. Latch hooks are secured to the inside face of the front side in such positioning that they engage the press-release latches in locking relationship when the front side of the box is in its closed position. The top side of the box rests on the top of the latches when in its closed position and the latches engage the latch hooks in such a manner so as to prevent spreading of the side walls when subjected to lateral force such as might be caused by improper stacking of the contents of the box.

When the latches are released, by pressing the front side inwardly, the front side swings down on the hinges provided and with the top raised, unobstructed access is bad to the interior of the box from both the top and front, allowing easy removal of the contents of the box.

On the underside of the bottom of the box, means are provided for attaching a container or spool of twine, wire, paper covered wire or the like.

An access hOle is provided through the bottom of the box near the back edge about midway between the sides. The paper covered wire or the like is threaded through the hole and drawn up along the inside face of the rear wall and through a collar attached near the top edge of the rear wall. After passing through the collar, the paper covered wire or the like is run down the back wall to a first flexible clamp located near the bottom edge of the center of the back wall. After passing through the first 3,382,794 Patented May 14, 1968 flexible clamp, the paper covered wire or the like is run along the inside face of the bottom of the box to a second flexible clamp attached near the bottom edge of the inside face of the front wall of the box. After the paper covered wire or the like is threaded through the second flexible clamp, it is run upwardly along the inside face of the front wall of the box to a third flexible clamp afiixed to the inside face of the front wall near the top edge and substantially equidistant from the side edges. The paper covered wire or the like is then hooked over this clamp and thus left in a substantially secured positicn. Attached to the inside face of the back wall adjacent to the aforementioned collar is a shearing or cutting device.

When the box has become sufliciently full, an extra length of paper covered wire or the like is drawn up through the collar on the back wall and cut with the shearing or cutting device attached to the back wall. The end of the paper covered wire or the like of this segment thus cut off is then tied or twisted to the other end of the segment which has been hooked over the top clamp on the inside face of the front wall. Thus the contents of the box are conveniently bundled for disposal.

It is then an object of this invention to provide an article of furniture suitable for use in a home or office as an end table or the like and adapted for receiving, storing and bundling old newspapers or the like.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for storing and bundling old newspapers having a hinged top wall and a hinged side wall so that both the top and side walls may be swung open allowing unobstructed access to the contents of the device.

It is a further and more specific object of this invention to provide a newspaper receptacle and bundl-er with hinged top and front walls and side walls equipped with press-release latches which latches fulfill the multiple function of securing the hinged front wall in its closed position, is provide bottoming support for the hinged top in its closed position, and prevent the side walls adjacent to the hinged front wall from spreading when subjected to pressure forcing them horizontally away from the side edges of the hinge-d front wall.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a newspaper receptacle and bundler according to this invention in its closed position;

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the newspaper receptacle and bundler of FIGURE 1 on a larger scale, partially filled with newspapers and with the top side in its open position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIGURE 2 With both the top and front sides open;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along the line IVIV of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view taken along the line V-V of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary, top plan view partly in section, taken along the line VI-VI of FIG- URE 3 illustrating the type of latch arrangement used with this invention; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a flexible clamp according to this invention shown in its normal clamping position and, by broken lines, in its releasing position.

As shown in the drawings:

As shown in FIGURES l and 2, the newspaper receptacle and bundler consists of a six-sided rectangular box 11 having a front wall 12, a back wall 13, two sidewalls 14, a top 15 and a bottom. The box is supported by four integrally attached legs 16 which also serve as corner posts and to which the side and back walls and the bottom are secured. The legs 16 have coasters 17 attached to their bases.

The top 15 is recessed below the top edge 18 of the front wall 12 and the top edges 19 of the side walls 14 to provide a tray-like surface on which the current newspaper 20 may be placed. A handle 21 is secured near the front edge of the top 15.

As best shown in FIGURE 2 the top 15 is secured to the back wall 13 by a hinge 22 held in place by screws 23. The top 15 is secured in its open position by a three-piece elbow brace 24 which is attached to one of the side walls 14 by a screw 25. The opposite end of the brace 24 is secured to a mounting block 26 by screws 27. Said mounting block 26 is glued to the underside of the top 15.

As is shown in FIGURE 3 the box has a bottom wall 28 and the front wall 12 is secured to this bottom wall 28 by means of :a hinge 2) Press release latches 30 of the type shown in US. Patent No. 2,637,576 are attached to the side walls 14 by means of screws 31 and 32. The latches 30 are positioned below the tops 19 of the side walls 14 so that the top periphery of the screw 31 lies on the same horizontal plane as the top edge 33 0f the back wall 13. When the top 15 is in its closed position it rests on the top peripheries of the screws 31.

The top 15 has a strip of molding 34 secured to its outer face along its hinged edge. The molding 34 is provided so that when the top 15 is in its closed position, the molding coacts with the side and front walls so as to provide a recessed tray-like surface upon which to place the current newspaper.

The latches 30 are positioned near the front edges 35 of the side walls 14 and act to secure the front wall 12 in its closed position.

As best shown in FIGURE 6 the press-release latches 30 have a side wall 3%. A latch hook 37 which is secured to the front wall 12 by means of a screw 38 has a side wall 39 which, when the front wall 12 is in its closed position presses against the inside face 40 of the side wall 36 of the latch. This acts to prevent the side walls 14 from spreading outwardly when subjected to a force F acting in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG- URE 6. Such a force could be created by improper stacking of the newspapers against the side walls 14 in the receptacle. When the front wall 12 is in its open position and the edge 39 of the latch hook 37 is not engaging the inner face of the latch side wall 36, there is nothing to prevent spreading of the side walls 14 thereby facilitating the removal of the contents of the receptacle.

An access hole 41 is provided through the bottom 28 of the receptacle 11, about midway between the side walls adjacent the back wall. The access hole 41 may be lined with a sleeve 42. A container 43 of twine, wire, paper covered wire or the like is secured to the outside face 44 of the bottom 28 by means of a Wing nut 45 attached to a bolt 46. As is shown in FIGURE 5, the container or spool 43, which may illustratively be of the type commercially available under the trade name Twist-ems, consists of a plastic blister 47 containing a spool 48 of paper covered wire secured to a cardboard backing 49. The container 43 is secured against rotation by a bolt and wing nut 50. The paper covered wire 51 is drawn out of the container 43 and threaded through the access hole 41 into the interior of the receptacle 11.

The paper covered wire 51 is then drawn up along the back wall 13 and threaded through the collar 52 attached near the top edge 33 of the back wall 13. After passing through the collar 52 the paper covered wire is drawn back down along the back wall 13 to a first flexible clamp 53, located near the bottom of the back wall 13. The flexible clamp 53 is secured to the back wall 13 by means of a screw or fastener 54. After passing under the first flexible clamp, the paper covered wire is run along the inside face of the bottom 28 of the receptacle to a second flexible clamp 55 secured to the inside face of the front wall 12 near the hinged edge of the front wall 12 and substantially equidistant from the side walls 14. After passing under the second flexible clamp 55 the paper covered wire 51 is run upwardly along the inside face of the front wall 12 to a third flexible clamp 56 secured to the inside face of the front wall near the top edge 18 substantially equidistant from the side edges 14. The paper covered wire 15 is then bent over the third flexible clamp 56 and thus left in a substantially secured position. Thus the paper covered wire is eased through resilient guides or clamps into an open topped U-shaped hooked configuration lining the front, back and bottom of the box to embrace the newspapers dropped into the box.

A shearing or cutting device 57 is secured to the inside face of the back wall 13 near its top edge 33 and adjacent to the collar 52.

When the receptacle 11 has become sufliciently full of old newspapers or the like, a length of paper covered wire 51 is drawn up through the collar 52 and cut with the shearing or cutting device 57. The ends of the wire are pulled together to tighten the loop around the stack. This tightening of the wire pulls it out of the clamps 53, 55 and 56. The wire ends are then tied or twisted together. Thus, the contents of the receptacle 11 have been neatly bundled for disposal.

The action of the flexible clamps 53, 55 and 56 is shown in FIGURE 7. The clamp may be made out of flexible plastic, although any resilient material will work. As shown, in its normal position, the clamp 53 has a substantially U-shaped portion 58 with a flat leg 59 secured by the screw 54. The clamp 53 is made of resilient material so that the U-shaped portion 58 in its free state will be bottomed on the wall to which it is attached 60. However, the U-shaped portion 58 may be Sprung back from the wall 60 to release the paper covered wire 51. Thus, when the paper covered wire 51 is pulled against the bight of the U-shaped portion 58 the U-shaped portion is deflected away from the wall 60 and the paper covered wire 51 is readily released.

From the above description it will be understood that the open top of the device of this invention provides for easy dropping of a newspaper into the box. The box is used to stack flat newspapers folded as they are distributed. The open front of the box makes for easy removal of the stack. If the open top only was provided for depositing the papers and for removal of the bundle, much strain would be imparted to the material and much lifting force would be necessary since the papers would tend to stick to the sides of the box. This invention eliminates such defects.

We claim as our invention:

1. An article of furniture for receiving, storing and bundling old newspapers or the like which comprises:

a rectangular closed box with a top hinged along one side edge thereof and a side wall, opposite said hinged edge of said top, hinged along its bottom edge so that said top may be raised on its hinged edge and said side wall may be lowered on its hinged edge providing access to the interior of the box from both the top and one side thereof;

latch means securing said side wall in closed position;

support means on an outer face of said box for supplying tie material for bundling newspapers in the box;

guide means in said box for said tie material positioned to lace the tie material in an open topped U-shaped position for embracing the stack of newspapers in the box, and said guide means being resilient for releasing the tie material to accommodate removal of the bundle stack from the box.

2. An article of furniture fitted for receiving, storing and bundling old newspapers or the like comprising:

a rectangular box having top, bottom, front, back and side walls;

said top Walls being hinged along its back edge to said back wall, said front Wall being hinged along its bottom edge to said bottom wall; press-release latch means secured to the inside faces of said side walls along the front edges thereof and near the top edges thereof, latch hook means secured to the inside face of said front wall positioned to lockingly engage said latches when said side wall is in its upright closed position, said latches providing bottoming support for said top Wall in its closed position, and holding said side walls against spreading;

means for supplying tie material to said box, and guides in the box for lacing the material around a stack of newspapers in the box. 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the side and front walls are of greater height than the back wall and the top wall in its closed position is recessed below the top edges of said front and side walls, said top wall having a raised rib on its outer face along its hinged edge cooperating with the top ends of the side and front walls so as to provide a recessed tray-like surface on the top of the box.

4. An article of furniture fitted to receive, store and bundle old newspapers or the like comprising:

a rectangular box with a top wall hinged along one edge and a front side wall hinged along its bottom edge;

container means secured to the outside face of the bottom wall, and apparatus for arranging a tying means consisting of an access hole through said bottom wall; 7

guide means secured to the inside face of the back wall and centrally located near the upper edge of said back wall;

first clamp means located centrally near the bottom edge of said back wall;

second clamp means located centrally near the bottom edge of the inside face of said hinged front wall opposite said first clamp means;

third clamp means located centrally near the top edge of the inside face of said hinged front Wall;

said access hole, guide means and clamp means to receive said tying means from said container means through said access hole, thence up along said back wall through said guide means thence in a U-shaped loop downwardly along said back wall through said first clamp means, thence along the bottom wall through said second clamp means, thence upwardly along said hinged front wall and through said third clamp means.

5. The combination of claim 4 where the clamp means are of resilient material having a substantially U-shaped portion with a straight leg portion at right angle to one leg of the U-shaped portion, said straight leg portion bein secured to a wall and said U-shaped portion being bottomed on said wall, said U-shaped portion springing away from said wall when subjected to force acting against the bight of said U-shaped portion in a direction away from said wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,246,923 11/1917 Horrigan IOU-34 XR 1,731,325- 10/ 1929 Stevens 312-290 2,747,498 5/1956 Bellar -34 3,145,646 8/1964 Levy 100-34 3,247,782 4/1966 Foster 10034 BILLY J. WILHITE, Primary Examiner. 

